Aldi - I just don't get it and no one agrees with me

[user7654321]

All of my friends, family etc don't have a bad work to say about Aldi and say they do the majority of there shopping there for both cost saving and better quality produce.

My DH and I feel we are missing something, as based on the all recommendations, we have tried Aldi 5 or 6 times in the past 6 months or so, and have found the products not to taste as good as the well-known brands. The fruit/veg doesn't stay fresh for long etc, and we have wasted so much food that we have tried but preferred the branded version (e.g. cereal, jars of sauces). We have tried hundreds of Aldi products, but I'd say only a handful are as good as the branded version or even a mainstream supermarket's own brand. Even their nappies, which are reviewed as amazing gave my poor DS terrible nappy rash.

So, AIBU to say i actually don't think Aldi products are the same or better quality than other brands? I understand they are cheaper but the impression I get from others is that its not cost that's the driving factor for them shopping at Aldi - its there amazing quality. Why don't I feel the same? My DH and I are so confused about this that we've even done 'blind tests' on some products and the Aldi one has always been identified as the 'fake'

Aldi washing powder didn't cope with the football kits.

BertrandRussell did you get moldy strawberries from there too?

I like aldi. We only really go there or Waitrose. Waitrose food is better (and about 10x the price), but I'd say aldi stuff is better than most other supermarkets. It depends what you like I guess but we mainly buy veg and I find it to be fine from there.
I definitely find shopping there stressful though. The staff have no desire to help at all. On top of the fact they throw the food at you at the till, on the weekends our branch has run out of pretty much everything. Also our branch recently took away all the shopping baskets. And as I almost always walk there I have the pram and I can't push a trolly and a pram (and I can't leave the pram outside as it would get taken and I can't walk home carrying baby and shopping). What's so wrong with providing baskets?!

Recent convert here, at least for some stuff. So: champagne at Christmas, excellent (got the Which top recommend). Tried a couple of red wines as well, not so good, but haven't sampled further. Cheeses are great - Manchego, Roquefort, feta, Cheddar, all as good as Sainsbury's at 2/3 of the price. Good charcuterie. Salted pistachios, peanuts, walnut halves and almonds all great, half the price of Sainsburys. Icecream, mini-'Magnums' (not Magnums) half price and my son is happy with them. Great treacle tart. Milk, butter, clotted cream all as good as anywhere else and cheaper. Fizzy water, honey ditto. I don't buy meat, fruit or veg from the supermarket, so can't compare. Where we're fussy on brands - Greek yoghurt, jam, cordials, baked beans, ketchup, fish fingers, oven chips - I buy from Sainsburys.

I'm trying to save some money this year, so shopping around for cheaper products makes sense for us. I have more time than when I was working FT with a young family though.

I also agree and I am not well off and am really not particularly fussy about what I eat.

I go to Asda or Morrisons instead.

Peartree17 The natural Greek yoghurt from Aldi is so thick and creamy and better than most I've tried, it doesn't have as much of a bitter taste at end . You should try it. It's literally the only one my ds will eat as he hated all yoghurt before trying this one!

Oh yeah, and quinoa, garlic butter baguettes, those oddly-shaped stonebaked marguerita pizzas, all good and much cheaper. As for the speedy tills - last time I was getting geared up to pack fast, but then noticed the shopper in front of me just putting her shopping straight into the trolley then taking the trolley to the side after paying and packing the stuff at leisure. So that's what I did - much more relaxed.

See i never got the cheese and sliced neag thing either.

Cheddar was tastless and plasticy. Like cheese strings.

And the ham was weirdly sweet and was just odd in texture. Really thin but kinda stiff and sweet.

The hummus was the most vile hummus from any shop I've ever tried. Ditto the picnic bits like sausage rolls and savoury eggs.

Don't get me started on the bacon you can't make it crispy it swims in liquid.

And I honestly don't think i could identify a chicken from there as chicken. Skins don't even go crispy it's just fatty and watery and stays pink.

Thanks for the tip on yoghurt Starmix! - will certainly go for if for myself, but my son will only eat the Fage stuff (in individual pots - yes, I know, I shouldn't pander to him, but I'm so relieved he occasionally chooses a healthier snack/pudding that I go along with it). Dish washer tablets (again, a Which top recommend).

Put stuff on belt heavy bits first. Put in trolley in that order. Pack at the bench.

Idea is to get through quickly . supermarket not social occasion.

The way aldi is, the fact you've got to handle the items 4 times before you get them home is annoying, but that aside I love it. I love the products and the prices are great.

I guess you either like it or you don't.

well i havent read the whole thread, but Lidl and Aldi are European brands. in Europe you mostly buy fresh fruit and veg to eat that day (even then I often find it overripe). The British culture is to buy underripe fruit and veg and store. If I shop in Aldi and Lidl with a European mentality for fresh then I am not disappointed. If I shop for fresh under a British mentality I am disappointed because it doesnt keep so well.

I am not keen on the desserts, but am perfectly happy with the canned/tinned gods. Also normally the bakery is great.

🙄

'British mentality' Who knew?

You should try the choc fudge cake and luxury Swiss rolls...they're very nice. They also do vanilla iced custard fingers that rival Morrisons.

What I notice with how people shop in the U.K. is... they never actually examine what they pick up. I think they trust the supermarkets to give them "good fresh" produce etc. When I shop I examine every single item before putting it in my trolley. I walk around the supermarkets watching people just grab and go... I think that's why people report products going off.

I've shopped and just about every supermarket in the U.K. and it's not just the budget ones that have dodgy food mixed in with the good ones.

Brand preference also skews opinion... DH and I have been trying different brands some we've liked and kept others are just terrible... but that's just personal preference someone else might like them.

We shop at Lidl now because it's convenient... we did aldi before but it just became a pain to get in the car for a weekly shop! I have my issues and there are things I'd never buy from them but overall it's good value for money imo... well our money as we're living on savings at the moment. For instance Lidl sausages are terrible... more bread than sausage meat, we much prefer the butchers or to get them from Morrison's across the road or m&s. Their eggs aren't the nice yellow yolks... but they do as we mostly bake with them or have a hard boiled egg with breakfast.
The nappies are ok they've since improved them... DH and I have agreed after spending a fortune in Australia on nappies (limited options) that a wee and poo holder need not cost a fortune as long as the children's bums are ok! The wipes are also ok... we save a fortune not buying expensive brand name nappies!

I also like the non faff way of checking out! I always use self check out and I always take my time to pack my bags... I've never had an issue.

Beansonapost The lidles deluxe apple sausages are actually really nice but I can't comment on their other range. Also agree with your post....

See I like the chickpeas, the curry sauces, the 🍌 the soup and hummus, the vegetables I find are fine broccoli 🥦,cauliflowers and cherry tomatoes 🍅 are fine

I get milk cheese sometimes, Parmesan and the chocolate- the orange and almond chocolate is delicious 😋

It pains me to say because I do 90% of my food shopping here but I agree !!
It's basically comes down to cost with me but I have to do 2 shops a week ( luckily it's 2 mins away ) as I can't buy veg fruit salad etc and expect it to last . Had the odd thing mouldy after 2 days !! Do my basic meals with Aldi shop then top up with a few nice bits from local butchers etc for a few more nicer meals

Their stuff is third rate but because of the herd effect, few are prepared to say it. They don't even sell proper Greek yoghurt. All fake!

How is yogurt fake?

Is that you Donald Trump?

I’ve never shopped at Aldi, but I’ve done most of my regular shopping with Tesco over the last 9 years, with intermittent bursts at Waitrose.

I used to only shop at Waitrose for fresh fish, good quality cakes and other ‘treat’ items, but I’m shopping in there more and more frequently now for everyday goods, as the quality of Tesco’s fresh produce often leaves a lot to be desired lately.

I pay more for items at Waitrose, but their product availability is far better than Tesco, and their fruit is of high quality, whereas Tesco’s fruit is frequently not ripe even when labelled as such, deteriorates quickly, or just tastes bland. If I can’t get to Waitrose, I don’t buy any fruit except for bananas!

I've shopped at Aldi for a number of years and found them really good.

However, I've noticed that the quality has fallen significantly over the past 6-12 months, which is a real shame.
They seem to have changed a lot of suppliers/recipes, the veg/fruit doesn't keep as well and fresh meat seems to contain lots of water.

I've shopped and just about every supermarket in the U.K. and it's not just the budget ones that have dodgy food mixed in with the good ones.

Same here but I've never seen the volumes of off food as I've seen in Aldi. I've been to one on its opening day and there were peppers and salad leaves that were slimey mush in the packets. There was boxes of satsumas piled in my local one on Wednesday and every box I looked in had at least one really mouldy one in. Morrisons had similar boxes before Christmas and I didnt see any mouldy ones.
I am puzzled by your statement about brits not checking food before putting it in the trolley, I dont know anyone who doesnt inspect.

There are certainly some products in Aldi that are fine but there always seems to be a catch. The hula hoops are the same as the brand and you get 10 packs for £1 but they only do plain. They have some good cheeses but they are often seasonal.
Vast majority of the chocolate, biscuits, bread products yogurts, and cooking sauces contain nut traces so no good for my allergic son.
I go in to do a proper shop but theres only about 5-6 things I buy.

Lidl is slightly better if you can get past the hidious stench of the bakery, but theres still a lot I cant use/get so I might as well get a Morrisons delivery.